From small children to octogenarians, thousands came together in Tokyo Thursday for a new year's battle of the brushes in an annual national calligraphy contest.
In what has long been a ritual for the start of the year, people all across Japan write down their resolutions and hopes, or good luck characters, using a traditional horse-hair brush and ink made of charcoal.
This year's contestants brushing their welcome to the Year of the Dragon included children from Fukushima prefecture, which is still struggling with the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years, set off by last year's massive earthquake and tsunami.
"I wasn't sure if I would be able to write well, but I did better than I thought so I think it's good," said Natsumi Yazawa, a 14-year-old from Fukushima who traveled hundreds of kilometers to take part. (Reuters)
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